should pit bulls be banned??

[rmsmith 1]

The breed has been around for a long time. Probably what we are seeing is tragedy being used for political gain at the expense of your freedom, which doesn't mean anything to someone seeking higher office. In the past the news media wasn't nearly so efficient.

[DrewEckhardt 0]

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Where I live - Vancouver: Pit bulls and some terrier breeds automatically considered vicious, must be muzzled in public and fenced in at home. Many times they do escape and are part of horrific maulings.


Should we say "don't blame the breeds, they only know what we teach them?"

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Some German sheppards, schnauzers, and poodles I've met have all been more agressive than the pit bulls and rotweilers I've seen.

[JoeyRamone 0]

99% of dogs act they way they do on how they are treated as puppies, how they are raised. Most owners need to be banned.

[cloudseeker2001 0]

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No. Stupid dog owners should be banned.

I've known a lot of great pit bulls. But then, they had great owners.

Mean pits usually have mean owners, unless the pit is lack genetic diversity.
Kinda funny....a friend of mine who is from Germany was afraid of my boxer because where she is from they have very strict laws cause they are so mean! I could hardy stop laughing when she told me this!

"Some call it heavenly in it's brilliance,
others mean and rueful of the western dream"

[IMGR2 0]

I agree with one problem that its the way the owners raises them. But be reminded that the Pit Bull and some other breeds muscular and skeletal makeup is made for fighting and the jaws designed to crush bone.
My father is a very well renowned veternarian here in Texas and he doesn't care for the breed as a house pet either. Some of it has to do with the chemical reactions in the brain. There have been stories were a dog has been tame its whole life then a newborn was brought into the household and it started acting out. And lets not forget body odors and perfumes. These smells can also make a dog react quite ferociously.
I have seen dogs that are as nice as they can be around thier owner but when they are not around the dog instinctively goes into the mode of protecting the home. This can include the front yard as a child innocently rides thier bicycle by on the sidewalk.

Thats my .02

[Zenister 0]

-they are vicious useless animals, sure some of them make pleasant lap warmers, but the ones that have been pampered and spoiled all their lives and still have a foul temper to strangers should be used for bait.

____________________________________
Those who fail to learn from the past are simply Doomed.

[slug 1]

We had a couple of St Bernards at different times.

The first one was a sweet heart
The second one was nasty He had the same owner's but different parents. Big strong mean dogs lead to big problems

Had to put the bad boy down at 2 Y.O.After hoping he'd grow out of it, denial etc.
Finally after a couple of close calls we had to face the facts couldn't accept the responsiablity of him hurting someone. Dog gone

We recently adopted a pup (lab mix) from the Tacoma ASPCA their policy is to not allow the adoption of pit bulls. If they get a pit bull mix that's got a nice attitude I think they have a don't ask don't tell policy.

Bad dog owners seem to choose their junk yard dogs breeds in cycle's IMO this leads to too much inbreeding for all the wrong reasons. Agressive behavior and then trained to act even more agressive.

If the local authorities haven't adressed the dangers of agressive dogs the insurance companies have. Look in the yellow pages for lawyers specializing in dog bites.

BTW Pit Bull is not the offical name for the breed it's something like American Standard Terrior.

The dog in the pic of the shepard/american standard terrior is a sweet heart.

R.I.P.

R.I.P.

[smiles 0]

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I have seen dogs that are as nice as they can be around thier owner but when they are not around the dog instinctively goes into the mode of protecting the home. This can include the front yard as a child innocently rides thier bicycle by on the sidewalk.

A young boy was killed in his own living room yesterday near my home---the dogs were kept locked in the basement and escaped

The family owned 2 Rottweilers and a collie, and was babysitting another Rottweiler for a friend over the holidays -- all dogs were put down.
http://vancouver.cbc.ca/regionalnews/caches/bc_dog-attack.html

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VANCOUVER - A three-year-old Maple Ridge boy named Cody, has died after he was attacked by several dogs in his home Monday.
Four dogs were inside the home at the time – three Rottweilers and a collie. The family called 911 and rushed the boy to hospital, where he was pronounced dead.

Stanley Coren, professor of psychology at UBC and the author of several dog behaviour books, says pound for pound, rottweillers are the strongest breed of dog – with the bite strength of 2,000 pounds per square inch.

SMiles

[hungarianchick 0]

IMGR2 and SMILES's posts just proves that dogs are pack animals just as much as their ancestors. There is more to aggressivness than breed or owners, although they both contribute to disposition.
For a dog in your household your family is the pack and inevitably there is a pack leader. Introducing a baby in the first case was a threat to the delicate balance and the dog's reaction was agression. In the second case there was a new dog introduced, the pack leader (owner) was presumably absent and unfortunately reestablishing the hierarchy resulted in the boys death. However, I have to say that if it was a bunch of chocolate labs it probably wouldn't have happened.
Personally, I don't think pits should be banned,(the ones I met were great) but responsible ownership for them as well as other more assertive breeds such as rotties and german sheperds (I had a few) should be enforced.
Just my 0.02

"I love cooking with wine. Sometimes I even put it in the food."

[vstar2001 0]

If ever attacked by a dog. the first reaction is to pull your arm, hand out of its mouth.... and that is where the trouble is. If a dog ever gets its jaws on you, force yourself further into its mouth. This decreases the force it can use to bite with and will attempt to get you out of its mouth so it can get a better bite.

Pits were breed to be fighters, that is all. If you understand that and accept that FINE, but you must always remember what they were breed for....

I just am................

[Ron 7]

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Problem with pitbulls, though, is their physical features that contribute to a hell of a lot more damage when they do attack as compared to other breeds

Problem with guns, though, is their ability to contribute to a hell of a lot more damage when Used.

Its not the Dog, its how its raised. A friend has had several Pits and they were great dogs. (Excpet one thought he was a lap dog).

The problem is they are seen in some circles as status symbols and they are not pets, but possesions. Any animal that has agressive traits encouraged will become agressive and be dangerous.

"No free man shall ever be debarred the use of arms." -- Thomas Jefferson, Thomas Jefferson Papers, 334

[PhillyKev 0]

I see a big difference between an inanimate object and an animal. It's easy to predict what an inanimate object will do when left on its own, not so with an animal.

I have a question. Why would anyone WANT a pitbull? Not saying there's anything wrong with it. But what good traits do they have as pets that other dogs don't?

[Ron 7]

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I have a question. Why would anyone WANT a pitbull?

Why would anyone want a dog?
Why would anyone want a Poodle?
Why would anyone want a pet?

A Pit is a very loyal breed. They also look very cool.

A well raised Pit is no dangerous than any other breed.

Problem is people don't raise them...They "own" them.

And when they do attack yes, they are strong and do damage.

However the media also plays it up...Just like they do gun violence.

"No free man shall ever be debarred the use of arms." -- Thomas Jefferson, Thomas Jefferson Papers, 334

[PhillyKev 0]

I'm not arguing, I just don't know anything about them. It just seems to me that no one who has a desire for a gentle, kind, dog is going to seek out a pitbull. My impression is that people would only want them to, as you say, own them. Like as a status symbol.

Personally, I wouldn't own any pure bred animal. They all have different problems as a result of years of inbreeding.

[Ron 7]

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I'm not arguing

I'm not either. I am just saying that some people like miniature poodles or cats, and some like Labs, dobbies or Pits. Some people like blue, some like red.

I personally like Labs...But a friends Dobbie is fantastic, and another friend has a Rottweiler that I would love to have. A roomate of mine had a Pit, and it was a great dog till it was hit by a car.

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It just seems to me that no one who has a desire for a gentle, kind, dog is going to seek out a pitbull

The kindest most gental dog I have ever seen was a Rottwieler. The next was a Dobbie. Its not the breed, its how there were raised...The most vicious I have seen? A Dalmation. it took a kids ear right off.

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My impression is that people would only want them to, as you say, own them. Like as a status symbol.

Then the problem is the owner, not the dog.

"No free man shall ever be debarred the use of arms." -- Thomas Jefferson, Thomas Jefferson Papers, 334

[ladyskydiver 0]

I owned a pit bull. Female and gorgeous. She was so very sweet and gentle. For her, the best thing in the world was to sit on your feet and put her head on your lap and get pet. The worst thing in the world you could do to her (and she cried and let you know it) was to make her go lay down where she couldn't touch you.

Life is short! Break the rules! Forgive quickly! Kiss slowly! Love truly, Laugh uncontrollably. And never regret anything that made you smile.

[bseriesboosted 0]

pits are very good animals if treated right and raised corectly. they are some of the most devoted and loving animals i have ever seen. I dont know of any other dog that cries tears when you yell at it for being bad. all i am trying to say is that if you get one as a pup and raise it right you will have a loving kind companion forever...

Pruitt

Skydive The Farm

[PhillyKev 0]

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Its not the breed, its how there were raised...

Don't you think it's both? I mean, certain breeds were bred for certain traits. The trait that pitbulls were bred for is fighting and killing ability. Sure, they can be raised to be gentle, nice dogs. But they weren't bred with that intention.

[hungarianchick 0]

Then the problem is the owner, not the dog.

[vanillasky11 0]

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Its not the breed, its how there were raised...

Don't you think it's both? I mean, certain breeds were bred for certain traits. The trait that pitbulls were bred for is fighting and killing ability. Sure, they can be raised to be gentle, nice dogs. But they weren't bred with that intention.

Its true pitbulls were bred to fight, but they were not bred to be aggressive towards humans. Infact, they were culled in the fighting ring if they ever showed any signs of aggression towards people.

Taken as a whole, pitbulls have proven themselves as therapy dogs, canine good citizens, and search and rescue dogs.
Yes they can be dangerous because of thier power and instinct to not back down, however, I feel that this should soley be the responsibility of the owner, and not the breed in itself.
If an person owned a dog knowing that if that dog bites someone, they would face heavy fines and jail time, they might be more aprehensive about A) Owning a dog best handled by people who are more likely to put in the training and socializing, and B) Owning the dog for the purpose of making him a "guard dog".
I don't feel banning is the answer. Stricter dog ownership laws are the answer.That includes all breeds. Thats just my 2 cents.

"You haven't seen a tree until you've seen its shadow from the sky." -- Amelia Earhart

[Ron 7]

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Don't you think it's both? I mean, certain breeds were bred for certain traits. The trait that pitbulls were bred for is fighting and killing ability.

And handguns are only designed to kill.

The breed was bred to be strong and yes to fight. But that does not mean that it HAS to fight.

I find it funny that you have several times claimed that we should look at each person as an individual and that some people are poor because of their upbrining...But also claim that another animal is "bred bad".

Which is in nature or nurture? I say its nurture for both, but in one case you agree, but in another claim its nature.

People and dogs are not born bad, they are raised that way.

"No free man shall ever be debarred the use of arms." -- Thomas Jefferson, Thomas Jefferson Papers, 334

[PhillyKev 0]

I don't know what your point of bringing up other topics is. Or comparing dogs to inanimate objects or people. And I've never said anything was "bred bad". You're looking for an argument and I really don't feel like it.

Certain animals have certain tendencies that cannot be completely oblterated through how they are raised. It is part of their inherited traits. Like I said, sure, you can raise a pit bull to be a good dog. But it's going to take more work than raising a collie to be a good dog. Pit bulls were bred for their traits of fighting and killing.

I just don't understand why someone would want a dog bred for a specific purpose when they don't want a dog with those traits. I'm not trying to say someone shouldn't be allowed to. I just don't personally get it. And bringing up other loosely related topics to somehow prove me wrong isn't very enlightening.

[Ron 7]

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I don't know what your point of bringing up other topics is. Or comparing dogs to inanimate objects or people.

You claim that a pit bull can be dangerous....So can a gun. And both have been given a negative spin from the media.

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Certain animals have certain tendencies that cannot be completely oblterated through how they are raised.

Does that apply to humans also? Is my question...One which you danced around. If you think a dog can be bred bad, can a person also be bred bad?

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Like I said, sure, you can raise a pit bull to be a good dog. But it's going to take more work than raising a collie to be a good dog. Pit bulls were bred for their traits of fighting and killing.

This tends to say you believe in nature...But not in humans. I find that strange.

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And bringing up other loosely related topics to somehow prove me wrong isn't very enlightening

They are very related. It goes to show how you hold double standards.

Its ok to have a gun even though it is designed to kill, but a dog bred to be a fighter is bad.

Dogs can be bred to be violent, kind, loving, smart, or helpful, but you think humans can't.

"No free man shall ever be debarred the use of arms." -- Thomas Jefferson, Thomas Jefferson Papers, 334

[PhillyKev 0]

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You claim that a pit bull can be dangerous....So can a gun. And both have been given a negative spin from the media.

What's that have to do with the thread?

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Does that apply to humans also? Is my question...One which you danced around. If you think a dog can be bred bad, can a person also be bred bad?

What's that have to do with the thread?

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This tends to say you believe in nature...But not in humans. I find that strange.

I don't know what that means.

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They are very related. It goes to show how you hold double standards.

Congratulations, you win.

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Back to the thread.

So can anyone who owns or desires a pit bull tell me what qualities of pit bulls they are seeking in choosing that breed? I'm genuinely curious as I don't know much about them.

[Ron 7]

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What's that have to do with the thread?

Simple Pit Bulls are given a bad rap by the media, and so are guns. Since both get bad raps they don't deserve, and both have people wanting to ban them based on that...They are related.

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Does that apply to humans also? Is my question...One which you danced around. If you think a dog can be bred bad, can a person also be bred bad?

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What's that have to do with the thread?

You claim that dogs can be bred bad, but humans can't...That is a double standard. Your claiming that Pits are bred to be bad is silly when you claim that Getto's are the reason people are poor.

I think its environment that cause both bad dogs and poor people. You claim its whatever makes your point at the time.

I find that funny.

"No free man shall ever be debarred the use of arms." -- Thomas Jefferson, Thomas Jefferson Papers, 334